Method and apparatus for reducing newspaper waste during printing process

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for automatically activating a paster or splicing mechanism in a printing press to connect web material from an expiring first roll to a new second roll, comprising a detector which detects a mark on the face of the web at the end of the expiring first roll and thereby activates the paster or splicing mechanism to connect the web from the expiring roll to the web of the new second roll. Because the detector acts instantly the press can continue to run during pasting or splicing and very little wasted web is left on the expired first core.

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/408,034 filed on Sep. 4, 2002, titled “Method and Apparatus for Reducing Newspaper Waste During Printing Process,” which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of paper web splicing and pasting and, more particularly, to devices and methods for actuating paper web splicers and pasters to reduce web material core waste.

BACKGROUND ART

[0003] There are various systems available for providing continuous supplies of web material to printing systems. These systems generally provide means for adhesively attaching a leading end portion of a new roll to the moving web of a roll which is near depletion. Such “pasters” or “splicers” incorporate severing means for the roll which is near depletion, and mechanisms are then employed for moving the new roll into a running position. The old roll is removed from the apparatus and a further roll brought into position so that the operation can be repeated.

[0004] A current problem with newspaper printing presses is the amount of waste paper left on an expired core, or butt, of the roll. The current used butt sized selector switch, when turned to its lowest setting, commonly allows all the paper to be drawn from the core of the expiring roll before it can be pasted onto the incoming roll of paper, a condition which requires press shut down to correct. To avoid this problem, present industry practice is to set the butt sized selector switch to a higher setting to insure a proper paste, however, this results in a significant amount of unused paper left on expired cores, which adds up to a very large amount of waste. An example of this would be 100 tons of core paper waste for a 21 unit press system per year. Also, the labor and costs associated with handling, disposing of, and/or recycling this waste is significant.

[0005] What is needed is a method and apparatus to turn this waste directly into product by substantially reducing or eliminating the waste paper on the expired cores, and to eliminate the labor and costs associated with stripping, bailing, shipping, and recycling the waste.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

[0006] The present invention is a device for activating a paster or splicing mechanism so as to minimize the amount of unused web material on a first roll when splicing to a second roll. The device comprises a detector positioned to detect a mark on the face of the web material towards the end of the web material as it is coming off a first roll. When the mark is detected the detector activates the paster or splicing mechanism to connect the web material on the first roll to the beginning web material on a second roll, and then to sever the unpasted portion of the end web material from the pasted portion. The mark can be placed according to the circumference of the incoming roll, and to the distance from the expiring core to the sensing point.

[0007] The device of the present invention reduces or eliminates waste of web material on the expired cores of the rolls of web material. It also allows a manual press without a butt sized selector switch to be used like an automatic paster or splicer. The present invention eliminates web material core waste and the labor and costs associated with stripping, bailing, shipping, and recycling the waste.

[0008] An advantage of the present invention is a simple device to activate a paster or splicer mechanism in a press so as to reduce waste of web material.

[0009] Another advantage of the present invention is allowing a manual paster or splicer mechanism to function automatically.

[0010] Another advantage of the present invention is the ability to override the butt sized selector switch without disabling it.

[0011] Another advantage of the present invention is the use of an inexpensive detector such as a photo sensor or metal sensor.

[0012] Another advantage of the present invention is that it can be adapted to any printing press that uses a paster or splicer mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0013]FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a simple paster mechanism with a first full roll in a position for printing and a second full roll in position for pasting, and the detector of the present invention.

[0014]FIG. 2 shows a diagram of the paster mechanism of FIG. 1 with the first roll almost empty, and with the detector detecting the mark and activating the paster mechanism.

[0015]FIG. 3 shows a diagram of the paster mechanism of FIG. 1 with web of the first roll pasted to the second roll and the unpasted portion of the web of the first roll severed from the pasted portion.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0016] While the following description details the preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of the parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced in various ways.

[0017]FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a simple paster mechanism 10 with a first full roll 11 in position for printing and a second full roll 12 in position for pasting, and the detector 13 of the present invention. Web material 14 is threaded around paster mechanism 10 and advances towards the printing press (not shown). Detector 13 is in position to read a mark 15 placed on the underside face of web 14 at the expiring end of web 14 just before web 14 comes off of core 16. The mark can be placed according to the circumference of the incoming roll, and to the distance from the expiring core to the sensing point. Also shown is cutter 17 which will sever web 14 after pasting. Mark 15 could also be placed on the topside face of web 14 and detector 13 could be positioned above mark 15. Second roll 12 has paste material 18 on its web material 19. The ability to detect marks on web material with a detector and to thereby activate a splicing section control means is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,150 to Ohno, which is incorporated herein by reference. Detector 13 may be a photo detector, such as, for example, a sensor emitting and receiving a laser beam spot. Alternately, detector 13 may be a magnetic sensor which can detect metal contained in mark 15.

[0018]FIG. 2 shows a diagram of the paster mechanism 10 of FIG. 1 with the first roll 11 almost empty and with the detector 13 detecting the mark 15 and activating the paster mechanism 10. Second roll 12 has rotated clockwise towards paster 10 and paste material 18 on web 19 of second roll 12 is in contact with web 14 of first roll 11. Cutter 17 has not yet been activated.

[0019]FIG. 3 shows a diagram of the paster mechanism 10 of FIG. 1 with web 14 of the first roll 11 pasted to the web 19 of the second roll 12 and the unpasted portion of the web 14 of the first roll 11 severed from the pasted portion by cutter 17. Second roll 12 can now be run through the press and empty core 16, with only a small remnant of web 14 attached thereto, can be removed. Detector 13 can be connected to paster mechanism 10 or to any splicing mechanism by connecting and activating means well known in the art. Mark 15 is generally placed from the end 20 of web 14 on core 16 at a distance which is directly proportional to the diameter of second roll 12. However, because detector 13 is activated instantly by mark 15, mark 15 can be placed wherever desired from the end 20 of web 14 on core 16 to provide whatever web waste desired. With simple testing in a given press system, from zero to any desired feet of waste on core 16 can be achieved.

[0020] The foregoing description has been limited to specific embodiments of this invention. It will be apparent, however, that variations and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art to the disclosed embodiments of the invention, with the attainment of some or all of its advantages and without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the present invention is adaptable to large and small presses. Any type of web material may be used, including paper, cloth, plastic, and the like. Any type of detection system can be used in addition to photo or metal sensing. Any type of suitable marking can be used including reflective or non-reflective marks. Marking can be made as a single spot or a band across the web.

[0021] It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials, and arrangements of the parts which have been described and illustrated above in order to explain the nature of this invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the principle and scope of the invention as recited in the following claims. 

1. A device for activating a paster or splicing mechanism in a printing press to connect web material from a first roll to a second roll, comprising: a) a detector; b) a mark for detection by said detector, said mark positioned on the face of said web material a predetermined distance from the end of said web material on said first roll; and c) a connection between said detector and said paster or splicing mechanism whereby said detector activates said paster or splicing mechanism when said detector detects said mark.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said detector is a sensor emitting and receiving a laser beam spot.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein said mark contains metal and said detector has a magnetic sensor.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein said mark is positioned from the end of said web material on said first roll so as to produce from zero to any desired feet of waste on said first roll after activating said paster or splicing mechanism.
 5. A method for activating a paster or splicing mechanism in a printing press to connect web material from a first roll to a second roll, comprising the steps of: a) placing a mark on the face of said web material a predetermined distance from the end of said web material on said first roll; b) detecting said mark with a detector; and c) activating said paster or splicing mechanism when said detector detects said mark.
 6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of detecting comprises a sensor which emits and receives a laser beam spot.
 7. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of detecting comprises detecting metal in said mark with a magnetic sensor.
 8. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of placing said mark comprises positioning said mark from the end of said web material on said first roll so as to produce from zero to any desired feet of waste on said first roll after activating said paster or splicing mechanism. 